What will replace it?

As a young Shetlander currently living south the opportunity presented by the windfarm appears to me as an extremely important crossroads.

I have up to this point neglected to participate in the debate, naively believing that the economic and moral pros would obviously outweigh the unfortunate cons of renewable energy in our isles.

Opponents of the windfarm have presented the argument that the clean energy generated will be but a drop in the ocean when compared to the pollution emitted by the continued economic growth of India, China and others. Clearly folk in other parts of the world have as much right to our standards of living as we do.

But it is true that the environment can hardly handle levels of industrialisation as it is. So perhaps as the privileged minority on the planet we have a responsibility to pioneer cleaner forms of energy? That utilising some of our hills is a necessary sacrifice if we want to continue to live as we do. I would be proud of a Shetland that supported large scale green energy.

I am aware that Shetland enjoys an extremely high quality of public services. Working within our care homes and experiencing their counterparts in parts of the mainland has furnished me with plenty of anecdotal evidence to this effect.

When I was growing up in Shetland I used infrastructure and entertainments that were clearly financed by oil money. As this source of revenue dries up what is going to replace it?
I hope to return to Shetland one day to start a family of my own. The money and message this clean industry will bring could well inform my decision.

Danny Mullay
33 Lyon Street,
Dundee.